[Grovenet] Reduce, reuse, recycle gift wrap

Fri Dec 19 07:05:15 PST 2008

Wow, silver aluminum trees with spinning color wheels sure brings back memories of what, 40-something years back?!!  Very cool & retro, Barb.  : )

Geri

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "b Smith" <smithsmith at gmail.com>
To: "Forest Grove local interests list" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 9:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Reduce, reuse, recycle gift wrap

> OK -
> This may seem a little odd - but we have had an silver colored aluminum tree
> for years- (bought at a garage sale in Florida for $1) and one year I
> wrapped all the gifts in silver foil.  No ribbons, no tape, and just wrote
> the recipients name with an el -marko pen.
> 
> So now it is tradition.
> 
>  We recycle the foil. We set the red recycle tub in the living room and wad
> up the foil and use our best aim.
> 
> When the color wheel is spinning off that tree and those gifts... ahh...Now
> that is
> Christmas!
> 
> 
> Barb
> 
> On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 1:29 PM, John Schrag <jschrag at fgnewstimes.com>wrote:
> 
>> Hey Grovenetters
>>
>> I like this idea and have saved Jane's email for a possible story for next
>> years holiday guide. If you have other ways to green-up the holidays, post
>> them here or send them directly to me (jschrag at fgnewstimes.com)
>>
>> Our family has been re-using wrapping paper long before Earth Day was
>> founded. It comes from being raised by parents who lived through the
>> (first?) Depression.   I can't tell you how many times my kids have been
>> able to remember what previous presents were wrapped in a particular
>> well-worn sheet of paper.
>>
>> My son also makes origami figures from scraps of wrapping paper and uses
>> them as bows.
>>
>>
>> John Schrag
>> Editor & Publisher
>> News-Times
>>
>> 503-357-3181
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com [mailto:grovenet-bounces at rdrop.com] On
>> Behalf Of Katie Allnutt
>> Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 1:08 PM
>> To: Forest Grove local interests list
>> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Reduce, reuse, recycle gift wrap
>>
>> Thanks Jane,
>>   I think it helps to learn what techniques other people use so we
>> can try them too.
>> I do similar things (like no bows) but my recycled paper usually only
>> makes it around twice.
>>   I don't shop for Christmas cards because I am on so many lists of
>> places that send me cards as a thank you for my donation. I can't
>> throw them out but I suppose I could cut them up for tags.
>>
>> Katie
>>
>>
>> On Dec 18, 2008, at 12:02 PM, Phoenixacm at aol.com wrote:
>>
>> > So, I am in the middle of a multi-year program to green up my
>> > Christmas.
>> > Thought I would give you a status report.
>> >
>> > 1-Reduce:
>> > -The Burch-Pesses household no longer buys bows.   There are other
>> > ways to
>> > make packages look pretty and most of the presents we buy get
>> > mailed out so they
>> > would arrive with smashed bows anyway.
>> > -The Burch-Pesses household no longer buys ribbon, except for the
>> > "crinkle"
>> > ribbon.   It's only about a quarter of an inch wide (which reduces
>> > the amount
>> > of ribbon going in the landfill) and we no longer circle the
>> > package twice with
>> > the ribbon, only once.
>> >
>> > 2-Reuse:
>> > -At the end of the holiday season I go through the Christmas cards
>> > we have
>> > received and cut them up to make gift tags (the to: from: cards
>> > that go on the
>> > wrapped present). So the Burch-Pesses household no longer buys gift
>> > tags.   I
>> > actually find this to be a fun and somewhat creative project.   I
>> > cut tags in
>> > all sizes and shapes and use a hole punch to punch a hole in them
>> > so that the
>> > single band of crinkle ribbon on the gifts ties the pretty gift tag
>> > on the
>> > package (so if the recipient wants to s/he can reuse the gift wrap).
>> > -Any gift bags, tissue paper, bows, or gift wrap on presents we
>> > receive is
>> > saved to be reused. I find it easy to do.   It only fills one of
>> > the many
>> > Christmas boxes we have.   Pieces of gift wrap usually get smaller
>> > and smaller until
>> > they are no longer usable.   Tissue paper is reused until it is too
>> > ratty and
>> > then is usually used as padding in the boxes of presents we mail out.
>> >
>> > 3-Recycle:
>> > This, unfortunately, is the weak spot.   Cards and wrap that have
>> > foil (gold
>> > or silver looking stuff) on them are not recycle-able.   Tissue
>> > paper is not
>> > recycle-able.   (Of course, ribbon and bows are not recycle-able.)
>> > -The Burch-Pesses household does not buy Christmas cards that do
>> > not have
>> > recycled content.   This is the hardest thing we do - tracking down
>> > Christmas
>> > cards with recycled content.   We find them, but it's a
>> > challenge.   We found
>> > them at Freddies last year.   I went to Hallmark and Target last
>> > night and
>> > couldn't find any cards or wrap that had recycled content.
>> > Strangely enough, I
>> > found some truly ugly cards at Target that look like they are made
>> > from kraft
>> > paper (the kind grocery bags are made of) and they didn't even have
>> > recycled
>> > content!
>> > -Our Christmas newsletter is printed on paper with 100% recycled
>> > content.
>> >
>> > Yes, I know that sending ecards would produce less waste and burn
>> > less fossil
>> > fuel than mailing cards.   We may get to that eventually, but right
>> > now it's
>> > way too much fun sending and receiving cards.
>> >
>> > Wishing you a green Christmas!
>> >
>> > Jane B-P
>> >
>> >
>> > **************
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